preoccupy
verb
pre·oc·cu·py
(ˌ)prē-ˈä-kyə-ˌpī 
preoccupied; preoccupying; preoccupies
1
: to engage or engross the interest or attention of beforehand or preferentially
2
: to take possession of or fill beforehand or before another
Examples of preoccupy in a Sentence
The question of life after death has preoccupied many philosophers.
Recent Examples on the Web
The week of the election and likely for the next several weeks and months afterwards, employees will be preoccupied.
—
Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Although Iran and Hezbollah appeared to believe that a low-grade conflict with Israel was manageable as long as Israel was preoccupied in Gaza, Israel’s calculus had already shifted as its attention increasingly turned north during the summer.
—Dalia Dassa Kaye, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2024
Once again, being trapped in a small world is a fate that preoccupies Sunja — Isak’s faith helped expand her world by introducing the notion of Heaven, and by taking her to Japan, too.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024
The project that would preoccupy the Grimms for the remainder of their lives was the Deutsches Wörterbuch—the German dictionary.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for preoccupy 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Although Iran and Hezbollah appeared to believe that a low-grade conflict with Israel was manageable as long as Israel was preoccupied in Gaza, Israel’s calculus had already shifted as its attention increasingly turned north during the summer.
—Dalia Dassa Kaye, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2024
Once again, being trapped in a small world is a fate that preoccupies Sunja — Isak’s faith helped expand her world by introducing the notion of Heaven, and by taking her to Japan, too.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024
The project that would preoccupy the Grimms for the remainder of their lives was the Deutsches Wörterbuch—the German dictionary.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for preoccupy
Dictionary Entries Near preoccupy
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preoccupy. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
preoccupy
verb
pre·oc·cu·py
(ˈ)prē-ˈäk-yə-ˌpī
1
: to hold the attention of beforehand
2
: to take possession of before another
preoccupation
noun
(ˌ)prē-ˌäk-yə-ˈpā-shən
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share